Gas-producer.



No. 813,629. i PATENTED FEB. 27. 1906.

' G. ELLIS.

' GAS PRODUCER.

APPLICATION FILED M'Anz'l, 19u55.

wnNEssEs: Y NTOR .tain new and'useful Improvements in Gas.

UNITED STATES PATENT emilion. 'I

A lCARLETO-N ELLIS, OF NEW YORK, Y., ASSIGNOR TO COMBUSTION UTILITIES COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION .OF

NEW YORK.

10 aLl whom it may concern.'

. Be it known that I, CARLETON ELLrs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New .York city, in the county of ANew York and State of New York, have invented cer- Producing and Consuming Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.4 l

This invention relates4 to apparatus in. tended formaking combustible gas bythe recess as distinguished' from the retort an lwater-gas processes, and `it involves, essentially, (the use of'carbon dioxid in the gasgenerating draft-current.

.It is theobject of the resent invention to dspensewith theuse o steam as a cooling agent within the producer, to secure a better quality of gas, to permit the employment of accelerated draft without incurring excessive temperatures, and to permit the producer to be operated at a lower` temperature, a's well as to secure a great operative range and increased flexibility of adjustment to meet the as carbon dioxid, w

varying conditions arising with the different grades and kinds of fuel.. To this end I emplo. `a draft-current composed in partof neu--l tra endothermicallyreacting fixed gas, such lich may conveniently be derived from the stack-gases of a furnace or other available source. -Prior attein ts have been made" to devise a Vsystem for uti `zing the gasified carbon of the waste stack-gases and securing the benefits of that economy in fuel consumption, which theoretically results from the fact that less heat is required to reduce carbon dioxid to carbon monoxid than'is needed in first gasif` fying solid fuel and then reducing the carbon dioxid. Such systems have necessitated the4 ein loyment of steam as a cooling agent.

he failure to devise a practical system for utilizing the waste gases without using steam to cool the producer has, I ap rehend, been due to the following principa causes: first, the employment of the furnace-gases at an extremely hi h temperature; secondly, the us'e of gases eficient in carbon dioxid without substantial cooling; thirdly, the employ-A ment of draft-accelerating means having inadequate provisions for regulating theiexygen and endothermic constituents of' the draft-current independently and 'in thegegrf rect ro ortions.

I thattherdinary run ofj Patented Feb. 27, 1 906;

`mic actionl within the fuel-bedofthe ro'- ducer'is insufficient to overcome the jgh temperature at which it has beenproposed to introduce them, and as a consequence ,the

producer either runs so Ahot as' to' prfluce arge quantities Vof soot, melted Vslag or flinkers, and carbon dioxid, or it becomes necessary to emplo steam inlarge quantities in an effort to re uce the temperature to a rac-A tical working-point.

forded l bya' jet of air o r steam`whieh they were compelled bytheir high temperature to employ as a draft-accelerator in heu of a fan or equivalent mechanical device, since such a jet adds its own quota of reacting fluid to the 'draft-current, and when used in the Way pro osed a variation in the propelling power of t e jet fails to result vin Inaiiitainigthe compositionof the draft-ciixrln`t xthe' cor-- rect proportions with refcrcn perature lof the stack-gases iinilh'kir richness in carbonio acid.

By the use of carbon dioxid in. this manner a' considerable saving in fi cl results4 through the complete combust inn o the fixed carbon of the coal in the producer to carbon monoxid. As ordinarily opcratedib Y the use of steam the reducer is incapable o burning all of its car on to carbon-monoxid, and a loss in heat energy results. A portion o f this carbon of necessity burns to'ca'rhon dioxid. This is due to the fact that ignited or incandescent carbon s incapable ofi'effecting a complete reduction 'of carboiidio'x'id no inatter how-great the de th lifxfllel through which the gas is passed. n otherwords, there is a certain amount of carbon dioxid present in the reducer-gas,- due to the inability of ignite carbon-'effecting complete reduction. A certain partial pressure of carbon dioxid therefore remains to be satisfied; and this has to be'done at the expense of the carbon of the coal. By the system which I make use of the carbon. dioxid required to create the aforejsaid' artialpressure is supplied from an externa 'source and,as a result none need be 'internally-generated to su ply this demand. The net lresult, of the .comgustion conducted in this manner, in 'se far asthepartialepresemilii'hetein- These 4devil :es ave Aalso suffered from the inflexible control af.-

IOO

' or t irough a pipe su'bjected'to artificialcool- "sure considerations above stated are concerned is 'the .cor'nplete conversion of the*v -xedcarbcnto carbon monoxid or combus- -which theiuel lunder forced draftl will slag -,occurring at speeds more nearly approximat- :2 813,629 gin.

tible gas. itgis also necessary to' takeinto'accountV the yel'ocity reactions, on account of' even withstackegases theoretically rich enough'in ACO2 to maintain a non-slag ing temperature, because, probably, of. theV act that at. high temperatures carbonm'anifests a `select-We ailinity foroxygen inpreference to carbon-( lioxifd, which is not s'o apparent when the draibcurrent is cooled, the exothermic and endotherinic reactions in. the latter case ingeach other.

i My' invention involves controlof the'temperature and proportions of the coolin agent with lreference to its richness in endot erniic constituent, arid for the practice of said in' vention the following conditions are-essentialnaniely, supplying the diluent gassin such a condition; eiiected'either by cooling: it or deriving it of a composition sufleient'ly rich in endothermic' constituent as to maintain the temperature ol the producer below' the point at which soot, slag, orlclinkers-form in objectionable quantities andthe predetermined independent regulationvor adjustmentl -of the respectiye Vproportions of reeygen and neutral or endothermic gas in the draftcurrenti For the latter result I prefer to ernplo y a mechanical draft-accelerator, such as a fan-blower, combined with a suitable-damper or dai'iipers7 enablingtheiratio of air and dilueiit to be adjusted at will. The coQli r of stack-gases prior te their passage throughv the blower serves to protect thelatter from injury. l '.A

Cooling of the produetsol" combustion may he conveniently ellfected byleadin them ,tol the produecrthrough av relatively ong ipely siihjected to radiation'and convection -of eats ing hy deportation of heat. from its surface or contents. v Bly invention 'is particularly adapted, though not necessarilyconfined, to an organixiiiion -iii which the gas-'producer is function :illy and 'structurally'remof romA the con-- suiiiiiig apparaiiis, beeaiise,"\'ron'i the fact that vl, operate the producer at :i low ltemperaze the sensihle'heatol the, prodiieer-gas, andthe necessary length o l" the return-conduit .l'oi the products lol` combustion iii iiianyreases' may dispense with A'other speeialprovisioiis lor cooling theseproducts; 'A l 'lhe neeoinpaiiying drawingrepresents :a seeiioinil view ol`an apparatus constrifieted :ihil :ii-ranged in aci-,ordenen with inyii'ivention :ind enihndying a gas-producer'and a.rever lli-ratori' l'iiiiiiiee, together With other features necessary io ell`eet the object above stated.

e'nerating-chamber adapted to contain a eep bed .of fuel 2 and having suitable inlet- 'a'pertures for feeding fuel froni'tlie top and a water seal 3 at ,the-lowerend, l'roin which the ashes are'removed. The lower end of the 'producer isof lc'ss diameter than the upper end., A gas-producer of this sort is well suited for the generation of gas hy iiiy irietliod, inasmuch as the' constricted area in the lower part of the,produeerA prevents the l'ree piissage of air or oxygen a allowing no air to get around -tlie bed ol' fuel -fuel mass, it being my object in tlie producmass of fuel at a low red heat, and a'ny receptacle which does not allow of operation iii this manner is not wholly satisfactory for the purpose aforesaid.` 'Y

4 is a' gas-pipe connecting tlie upper end of of which 6 isthe hearthchainher, 7 H the gas' 'and"ar'eiitranees,. i-the stack, and' i() the connectingvor stack lliieif The furnace is adapted to thel burning of gas?` 'Hence iio fire-boxes are shown. .,Fronil-a point l2 in .the stack 'orstack-lue afpipe.A or conduit VI3 leads back 'to the'lnislies ol: the producer l by products of combustion may be 'returned fuel-bed 'and passed therethrough. lThis eoiias been shown, as'this allows the attain nient -'rasmay'thusbegeneratei under a tension liiglierl than that ever before economically fan blower orexhauster' niay also he: 'eniiloyed. l Baekof said blower there is an airinlet' '16 to the conduit for supplying air to the stack-gases 'fo'il sup iortiiig e'onibustieii and c'o;..ing'tlie gases.. y 'lhe i'iir-iiilet'aud the trunkof thepipe t3 are erpiipped with valves lof, aie and. products of conihiistioii in the o I pendently rf-.gi'ilated with especial reference to th'eI temperature ol`4 the stack-gases and ltheirrichnessl iii (30,' andthe slii.gg| iig-poi iit lingcombustion within tlie producer at n teinperiitiire below' the slag'giiig and sooting peine.' "Fliese valves are. adjusted to pro- 'jbustion ol' the gas 4:il'leifit emerges l'itoiii the bed of fuel, so 'thattlieoutpiitof the producer shall lie 1i. eonibi'istihle gas wliieli iiuiy biu'oiidlieted to any desired point of use and tlieie bui-ned with oxygen.v 'l`lie pipil I3 also has ii: valve oidiiiiiper il)A for regulating the voluiiie of fthe 'producer-lilast.

l indicates theigifs-in'oliiifei,eoiiipiisiiig a interposed in Ilie eoiirliii't l is alieni-rudioiig its side walls, thus l and to cause ,combustion at 'the (op ol' the tion ofthe' gas ,to preserve a'iion-l'liiiii'ing 'the producer with a reverberatory Furnace 5,'

of high pressresin the gas-producer, and the" obtained in steamfoperated. producers. 'Al

or danipcrs I7 18, where. )y the. proportions' lvide an air-supply iiisullicient l'oi.- the coin-.-

and enters vthe saine by-twyers I4, where j from "the to the` hottest piirt 'of the.

duit-contains a bloureri 15. In the drawing a ositlve 'blower of the inipeller-wlieel type' OO i i draft-current' n iay -be accurately and lindeol'. the particular l'uel which is being burned, so as to'givethe desired results in iiiiiiiitaiiiizo ' Such portion of these products as .,needed may beintroduced into the gasl oducer.-

siaee f l i 3 ting or cooling means for the removal -of neat from'the roducts of combustion. As shown, the con uit 13 is convoluted or formed into fa series of arallel passages 20, inclosed by -the rec ptac e21. .Tlusrece tacle has an opening 22 for the adnriss'ion o air or other coolin medium, the supply of which is con.

trolle by valve 23, an .an outlet 24 for the removal of the cooling agent through the as sage-25.' -In this case a'method of air-coo ing has been shown, and in consequence a fanblower 26 has been placed inthe conduit 25 in order to secure an effective draft .through the cooler, -V'The'radiating-passages are proortined to remove such an amount of heat'4 om theproducts of combustionthat the latter are fitted for conductin gasification; in the producer..- The'air-whic passes .over

and around the vradiatriw-pipes departs tbrough'passage 25,- from w ence it may be discharged through the 'passage 27- into the i open air or elsewhere, or 1t may enter the furnacethro'ugh. pi e 28. The valves 29 and 30 determine the irection of discharge. .31 is a by-pass connecting the conduit 13 on the-exhaust side of the blower. It is pro? vided 'vvith thevalveor damper 32. This allows, if desired, ofthe removalfrom the stack end of 'the passageftbroughthe radiator ofy all or nearly all of the products of combustion.

The remainder may be assedthro'ugh the passage 31v back into t e stack. In that manner a large portion of thel heat of the l stack-gases may be extracted and used for heating air or for other useful purposes.

The radiator 21- may be supplied Withwater instead of air or other cooling medium which -effects a positive cooling of the gases. I do no t rely upon the use of steam injected into the ho'tlpro'ducts of combustion to effect the requisite cooling, as such a method involves/simply the transference of'heat from the products of combustion to the steam and does not put thcmin a proper condition for economical manufacture of gas. As it is important to have the quantities of the'gases entering into the reactions involved in the operation of this apparatus carefully proportioned and adjusted for the productionvof combustible gas low in carbon dioxid and rich in combustible elements, I find it essen tial to place in the various conduits the valves or rates b which the necessary regulation andD contro of the system may be obtained.

It is frequently desirable to have an arrangement for adjusting the valves 17, or both 17 and 18, from the coal-feedin floor.. Thereby a means is provided for quie y adjusting thc proportion of carbondioxid to meet sudden changes or Huctuations in the Y composition of thestackgases.

anthracite coal such a method of variable en` dothermic control mavnrove unsuitable, as i adjustment ofdamper 19 or by regulan 1g the 13o In using the percenta'gepf carbondioxid inthe. producer-draft ma prove desirable.

-The depth 'o the fuelfbed isalso variable, 7c i depending -characteristics of the fuel in question. vSuch -011 the physical and., chemical a depth of firel must be maintained that no appreciable amount of loxygen reaches the up'- per surface of the gas-producinglmass. 7 5

The furnace 5is operated in t e usual Way, the gas and air being admitted through en' trances 7- and 8, respectively, combustion taking place on the hearth or laboratory and the products of combustion passing-into the 8o stackA 9 byfwayof the flue I0.v v A portion'of the roducs'- lt combustion is. drawn fromthe stac at-12' iiito the conduit.-13, 'passing throu h the L or .cooling tubes 20, and -is 'force -through the producer under, acceler- 85 'is supliedthroughthe inlet 16'an may be furnis edY in pagrt from the .excess of uncomate d draft in comp any with free oyen which binedloxygen inhthe Iurnace-.' The remain-l ing-'portion ordinarily.. asses upc the stack. 9o

`Thatpart of the pro ucts of combustion vwhich goes through said pipe to the reducer' is 'cooled in passing through the ra at or 21 and the coohng-actlon'may be supplemented .by dissipation of heat to the atmosphere from 95 the exposed surfaces of 'the' pipe 1'3. V Where the length of the exposed portions of the retum-pipe issuiciently' eat, it ispossible to' .omit radiator 21, as'the oss mheat'in transmission throughl a long exposed 'conduit will roo in itself under certain circumstances afford a sufficient diminution in the temperature.

Such portions of products of combustion as `are-not needed in thejgas-producer may be discarded by opening the gate 32 and permit- 1o 5 ting their dischar e into conduit 31, from which they enter t estack. It is possible in this way t o cause all or nearly all of the products of combustion to traverse conduit 13,

using, ofcourse, such portions as may be no needed for regulatingl and depressing thel temperature o the as-produ'cerbelow the' point at which trou les are likely to arise from the production of soot and clmkers and clogging of the producer from thc lattercause. r x 5 In the gas-producer a deep bed of ignited fuel or coal is maintained in order-that the carbon dioxid andthe oxygen supplied ih the draft-current maybe ver completely reduced' to carbon monoxid. T e adjustment of the 12o gates'l' and 18 allows of the regulationofthe proportion of endothermic constituent, 'and this will vary with the nature of the fuel, as

aforesaid. Certain anthracite coals b cause of their tendency t'o clinker require early 125 double the amount of endothcrmic co tituent that should be used forthe opera ion of certain bituminous coals 'low in aslLl The volumeof the blast may be regulated y the 9. In a gas-producing plant, the combination of a gas-producer, a source 4of products of combustion, a pipe connection between such sourcev and the producer, a casing for- 5 containing cooling fluid mountedon the pipe' connection, a fan for transmitting products of combustion through the pipe connection, and an air-inlet in the suction side of the fan.

l0. In a gas-producing plant, the combinaxo tion ofa furnace, a gas` roducer, a pi e conn'e'ctio'n delivering pro ucts of com ustion from the furnaceito the producer, a casing mounted on the pipeonnection and having an air-inlet and means for inducing an Vairr 5 iiow through said casing to cool the products of combustion and for delivering the air heated thereby to assist combustion in the fur- 11. In-agas-producing plantthe combinazo tion-cfa furnace, agasroducer, a pi e connection delivering pro ucts of com ustion from the furnace into the producer, a pipe connection delivering gas from the roducer into the furnace, alcasing mounte on the 2 5 first ipe connection, and means for drawin air t ough the casing to cool the pipe an for delivering the air to the furna'ceto assist in the combustion 'ofthe gas. 12. In :a gas making and using plant, the 3o combination of a gas-producer, a. as-using device fed thereby, a chimney-stac 'for the latter, a pipe ta ping the chimney, a cooling'- casing surroun ingtlie ipe, a fan drawin products of combustion t ough the pipe an 3 5 delivering the same into the producer and a valved air-inlet on the pipe the suction -side of. the fan.

13. In a gas making and using plant, the combination of a gas-producer, a as-using device fed thereby, a cliimney-stac for the 4o latter, a pipe ta ping the chimneyja coolingcasing surroun ing the pi e, a fan and pipe connections for drawing air through the casing and delivering'into the furnace provided with an excess-outlet on the pi e connections 45 on the pressure side of the an, a fan and pipe connections for withdrawing products of combustion from the chimney through the first-mentioned pipe and delivering the same into the producer. 5o 14. In agas making and using plant, the

combination fof a gas-producer, a 11s-using.

device fed thereby, .a chimneystac for the latter, a pipe tspx'ping the chimney, a coolingcasing surroun g the pipe, a fan and pipe 55 connections for drawing air through the casing and deliverin into the furnace, a fan and pipe connections or withdrawing roducts of combustion from the chimney t ough the first-mentioned pipe and delivering the same .6o

.into the producer, and a valved Waste-outlet on the pipe connection between the producer and the fan.

Signed at New York citv, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 22d 65 day of March, A. D. 1905.-v

y A j CARLETON ELLIS.

Witnesses:

Jas. K. CLARK,b

A, M. SENIOR. 

